Road Rage

It’s a fact: even the calmest, most levelheaded of motorists is liable to lose his or her cool at some point. From rush hour freeway nightmares to jam-packed parking lots and every avenue of automotive transport in between, few things seem to bring out the worst in us like driving.

Even in less crowded areas, tensions run high and tempers boil over on a second-by-second basis. Most of us learn from a very young age that expressions of frustration – honking, yelling, perhaps even the occasional obscene gesture – simply go with the territory. While perhaps not necessarily “healthy” per se, this sort of venting can at least be a way to let things go.

However, all too often, roadway confrontations quickly escalate and get out of hand, leading us to make dangerous and even deadly decisions. The tendency to take things such as being cut off, tailgated, or verbally harassed personally, and the conflicts that ensue, have been estimated to account for over 1,200 incidents and 300 deaths every year.

What Constitutes Road Rage?

Common cases of “road rage,” the most extreme form of aggressive driving, involve:

Intentionally striking another vehicle, pedestrian, or cyclist

The threat or use of a weapon (perhaps the most shocking and dismaying of road rage examples)

Exiting a vehicle or forcing another to a stop

Pursuing another driver from behind in an effort to intimidate

Road rage may be a familiar term, but in the courtroom it can translate into the incredibly serious charges of vehicular manslaughter and assault and battery. If you or someone you love has been accused of a crime related to road rage, you will need the expertise of a seasoned and well-qualified legal representative.

Contact Us

Contact the Law Office of Daniel Jensen, P.C., at [phone-number] to speak with one of our experienced San Jose criminal defense attorneys today.